Full Dialling required in Bournemouth from 01/11/2012

[BenMcr]

This is something that is going to affect all landlines so thought I'd post it here http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2012/03/dialling-the-01202-bournemouth-code/

People living in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch will soon have to dial the 01202 area code to make a local call, Ofcom confirmed today.

Ofcom has proposed that this change comes into effect on 1 November 2012, subject to consultation.

It is designed to safeguard the future supply of landline numbers in the Bournemouth area and avoid the need to change existing phone numbers.

[Chris]

Can someone explain why this is technically necessary if they're not also creating new area codes?

[nodrogd]

No doubt this is the cheaper option. Most people who use mobile phones are used to dialling the entire number anyway, so this is a natural progression. Don't think it will be long before this is introduced nationaly, as Ben implies.

[Kymmy]

According to wiki the the following is what's probably being implemented

In November 2010, Ofcom proposed to abandon renumbering and instead provide capacity by a combination of:

starting to use local numbers beginning '0' and '1' (and removing the option of dialling locally using just the subscriber number)
introducing additional, 'overlay' area codes to run in tandem with current codes

[BenMcr]

Don't think it will be long before this is introduced nationaly, as Ben implies.To be honest that's not what I meant, I meant all land line providers i.e. it's not just a Virgin thing. Wasn't that clear though lol

[carlwaring]

Okay. It may take some time to re-programme your home phone, but I'm sure I can find something to care about more than I would having to dial a local area code all the time :) (If this goes national, I mean. I'm not in the affected area.)

(Oh shoot! I just remembered I can't re-programme my Orchid Dialler anymore :mad: That could be a problem :()

[Matth]

Howcome we made such a screwup of our numbering... don't recall USA having to keep tinkering

[KingDaveRa]

The UK dialplan is a weird one. We have variable length dialling, overlaps, and all sorts of madness a lot of other countries simply don't have. A consequence of that is it having to be occasionally shuffled around to make it fit again.

I think it's one of those things - our dial plan has evolved, whereas the US dialplan was radically overhauled many years back (I seem to recall reading anyway) and it has pretty much sufficed ever since. They do make little changes here and there, but nothing like we've had (remember phONEday?).

[neilo]

I remember phone day!! I was working on the BT call centre in Bristol which had been hurriedly put together to help confused peeps.

I remember taking a call from a delightful old dear who I couldn't get to understand that her code was changing from 0275 to 01275 and a lot of codes were having a 1 put in. But her daughter's number was changing from 0272 to 0117 and she also had to put a nine in front of the number. But no nine was to go in front of her number when she gave it to other people.

It was hard going! Especially to all the small businesses who had to change all their business cards, they moaned and moaned! No websites to update back then!

[BenMcr]

There is now a My VM article about this https://my.virginmedia.com/customer-news/articles/dialling01202.html

[piquet41]

This is something that is going to affect all landlines so thought I'd post it here http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2012/03/dialling-the-01202-bournemouth-code/

I think if given the choice many people would actually do away with the LANDLINE. A lot of people now use mobiles and hardly ever use their landlines. A lot of people are paying line rental on phones they hardly ever, if ever use.

Therefore there would actually be little need to change the infrastructure here in Bournemouth and surrounding areas.

Point-in-fact, I would do away with my phone line (Virgin Media) if I could. I am paying £13.90 line rental for.... nothing actually, but I HAVE to because of the way the packages are put together. It works out "Cheaper" by haveing the phone line..... of course it does;).

There are over 700,000 numbers to choose from, are there really that many properties in these areas? I guess it must be pretty close then.

Of course there must be an option for EVERY property to have the option of a landline because most people will move at least once in their lifetimes.

It's going to be an inconvenience but one that people will get used to over time i expect.